Health Sciences Internships in Bolivia

From riding the teleférico above the city to observing fascinating procedures and talking to medical professionals to exploring breathtaking salt flats and forests, everyday of my CFHI program in La Paz, Bolivia was exciting, educational, and perspective-opening. I had the opportunity to observe a variety of medical specialties in different settings, including private and public from physical therapy to neurosurgery allowing me to explore my interests. While observing procedures and patient exams was very educational, I learned the most in my conversations with doctors, medical students, and hospital professionals. They shared helpful insights on working across cultural barriers and the resource limitations experienced both by patients and medical institutions. I was able to interact with patients through non-clinical tasks such as play therapy which helped me to truly engage. While the language barrier sometimes hindered my full understanding, my clinical rotations were a great opportunity to challenge myself to ask questions, getting greater exposure to a wide range of specialties and patient cases. My homestay was much more than an accommodation — it was a deep, lifelong connection. I have forever gained an abuela in Bolivia, who I hope to stay in contact with forever. She deeply cared about my comfort and wellbeing as she shared her cooking and culture with me and my roommates. I felt strongly supported by my local team and felt my Spanish and health classes really supported my learning. Although it challenged me, I learned so much by delivering a case study to my class and medical director. La Paz is an incredibly vibrant city and a fascinating mix of strong traditions and modern comforts. There is so much to do in the city! Some of my favorite memories include watching a Jazz-Traditional show, a local soccer match, and visiting the El Mercado de Brujas. I loved visiting historical sites and museums through the program, especially the Tiwanku ruins, San Francisco Church, and the National Art Museum. I made the most of my free time on weekends to see the breathtaking nature of Bolivia through trips to Isla del Sol, the Cloud Forest, and Uyeni Salt Flats. My travels not only gave me a sense of adventure, but helped to better understand the bigger cultural picture. Through my time with CFHI, I developed a strong sense of cultural humility and a greater understanding of the social determinants of health, especially disparities faced by those of lower socioeconomic status and those in rural areas. My experience helped me to grow as a future medical professional and as a conscious human being. I would highly recommend this experience to any student looking to expand their perspective through global travel under ethical, safety-focused leadership.

Spending five weeks in Tarija, Bolivia for CFHI’s Global Health Internship was one of the most enriching and transformative experiences of my public health and medical career journey. I have traveled a lot previously and done a similar program in Spain, but the experience with CFHI stood out due to the ability to live with a host family and experience the culture of Tarija, while also having access to multiple different clinical sites where I could learn from physicians, patients, and technicians in a way that is very hard to find in other programs. I had rotations in a primary health center, a clinic just for Chagas patients, a big teaching hospital, and an entomology lab in the departmental health service. This variety of experience allowed me to learn in depth about the health system, public health initiatives, and the experiences of both physicians and patients. I was able to see firsthand how the physicians and technicians worked in resource-limited settings to provide compassionate care and worked tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of members of their communities. In addition to these rotations, I was able to complete a practicum where I could combine this hands-on experience with a review of literature on the Bolivian health system and vector-borne disease to devise recommendations to improve vector-borne disease control in the department. I was also able to present these recommendations after working with the health coordinator and the head technician of the entomology lab in the department. While having this enriching experience learning from physicians and technicians, I was also able to learn the culture in depth and improve my Spanish fluency. Our Spanish lessons were delivered in a dynamic fashion where we had classes both in the classroom and out in the city in areas such as museums and cultural sites. This allowed me to really learn about the history and culture of the city. I was also able to go on weekend trips to La Paz and Uyuni, where I was able to further learn about the history and culture of Bolivia. All of these experiences were done while living with a host family in the city who always made every effort to make me and the other students feel comfortable and at home. I spent time with my host family every day during meals and formed a close bond with them. We also lived in the center of the city where we could comfortably walk to clinics, coffee shops, restaurants, or stores. This was a great experience, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to gain more experience in medicine/public health!